US not allowing flights from Pakistan

August 12, 2006 20:32 IST

United States has not granted permission for Pakistan to operate direct flights to American destinations due to security concerns.

Pakistan cannot start direct flights to the United States because the US has reservations about security arrangements at Pakistani airports, Parliamentary Secretary Syed Tanveer Hussain told the National Assembly on Friday.

Although Pakistan has made elaborate security arrangements at all airports, US authorities are "not satisfied"

with them, he said.

US

promised to help Pakistan enhance security at all its airports and provided some equipment in this regard.

On

the recent crash of the Fokker plane of the Pakistan International Airlines in Multan, he said that Fokker planes were now being replaced by ATR planes.

One ATR plane had arrived to replace Pakistan International Airlines grounded Fokker planes, while six more ATR planes would arrive by June 2007.